Skip to content
https://detroitnews.com

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
59
GRADE
D
FIX
6
REVIEW
2
PASS
5
INFO
0
Checks
13
5 PASS 2 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
favicon.ico Present
PNG Icons Missing
Apple Touch Missing
SVG Favicon Missing
Manifest Icons Missing
Multiple Sizes Missing
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
Theme color only
FIX
Theme color only
Info::
Theme-color present but no dark variant
A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.
Got: #a90b1a
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModePartial Dark Mode
color-scheme meta Not set Dark theme-color Not set CSS indicators Not detected

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found Inline @media print Not detected
F
Navigation UX
Action
No navigation patterns
FIX
No navigation patterns
Info::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Info::
No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected
These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link
Labeled Navigation 1 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Heading Hierarchy
No headings
REVIEW
No headings
Warning::
No headings found
Headings (H1-H6) create the document outline for screen reader navigation.

No headings found

Headings create the document outline for screen reader navigation.

Headings (H1-H6) create the document outline for screen reader navigation.

Why this matters

A page with zero headings is unnavigable by assistive tech and reads as one undifferentiated wall of text.

Learn more

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between H1-H6 elements. A page with no headings has no skip targets — users have to read every word linearly. Adding a heading hierarchy (one H1, then H2 sections, optional H3 subsections) makes the page skimmable for both AT and human readers.

Source: WCAG 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

B
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
20 text elements analyzed, 0 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

20 pass 1 pass AA only
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
title Detroit Local News -…13.42:14.5:1
#000000
#99D6FF
Pass
a House panel advances…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a News5.54:14.5:1
#000000
#838383
Pass
a Sports19.77:14.5:1
#000000
#F8F8F8
Pass
a Autos19.54:14.5:1
#000000
#EFF8FF
Pass
a Business19.54:14.5:1
#000000
#EFF8FF
Pass
a Michigan13.58:14.5:1
#000000
#9AD8FA
Pass
a Life + Home19.54:14.5:1
#000000
#EFF8FF
Pass
a Entertainment19.54:14.5:1
#000000
#EFF8FF
Pass
a Opinion19.51:14.5:1
#000000
#EEF8FF
Pass
a Obituaries19.46:14.5:1
#000000
#EDF8FE
Pass
div 'Jeopardy!' champ Ja…9.40:14.5:1
#000000
#93AFDB
Pass
div House panel advances…19.25:14.5:1
#000000
#EAF7FF
Pass
div Tigers injuries: Ver…19.19:14.5:1
#000000
#ECF6FF
Pass
span UM opens investigati…19.21:14.5:1
#000000
#E9F7FF
Pass
div Here's every pick th…19.17:14.5:1
#000000
#E4F8FF
Pass
div Michigan House educa…18.92:14.5:1
#000000
#E8F5FE
Pass
div Tigers take long-ran…20.47:14.5:1
#000000
#FCFCFC
Pass
div Watch Now21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
div Featured21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Landmark Structure
20 landmarks
PASS
20 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "Global navigation" MAIN ASIDE "advertisement" CONTENTINFO footer

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 57 images OK
PASS
All 57 images OK
Info::
57 decorative image(s) correctly marked
57 images 57 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A+
Form Accessibility
All 1 controls labeled
PASS
All 1 controls labeled
Info::
1 control(s) properly labeled
1 controls
1 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
emailemailEmail addressaria-label
A
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
PASS
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
Info::
Search form present on 404 page
404 Page Quality Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 Page Title Page Not Found (404) | The Detroit News Custom Styling Navigation Homepage Link Search Form
A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 96/100 — 2 failing, 25 passed
PASS
96

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Ad span.video-label-box > span.branding > div.logoDiv > a.trc_mobile_disclosure_link
Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
The page has a logical tab order
Visual order on the page follows DOM order
User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
Custom controls have associated labels
Custom controls have ARIA roles
`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
`[role]` values are valid
`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
Buttons have an accessible name
Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
Document has a `<title>` element
`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
Links have a discernible name
No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
Document has a main landmark.
Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
Identical links have the same purpose.
`[accesskey]` values are unique
Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
ARIA input fields have accessible names
ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
ARIA IDs are unique
No form fields have multiple labels
`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
Input buttons have discernible text.
`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
Form elements have associated labels
Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
`<object>` elements have alternate text
Select elements have associated label elements.
Skip links are focusable.
Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
All heading elements contain content.
Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback